Next Steps
by Loretto
Summary: So, what does the professional future hold?
1. Chapter 1

"So, this is going to sound like a strange question, but do you always see yourself doing...covert corporate work, Dominic?"

"'Covert corporate work.' I like the sound of that, Daniela, but no. I got into it because I had connections, and it became sort of a gilded cage - I made a lot of money doing it, and then when Marshall asked me to work for him, I could hardly say no. However, I'm done with it, I think. How about you?"

"I love my job, I love having clients and helping people. I see myself doing it for the rest of my life, to some degree. I don't necessarily want weekly clients, but I'd like to keep my hand in."

"Do you know one of the things I missed most about you during that time?"

"That time? Is that what we're calling it? My fantastic shoe choices?"

"No, although that was definitely something I remembered fondly. I missed when we worked together to help someone. It was fun brainstorming with you. We were really a good team."

"I missed that, too, Nico. It's too bad we can't do that as a career. Like _Hart to Hart_."

_"Hart to Hart_?"

"You never saw _Hart to Hart_? It was my mom's favorite show and she used to make us watch it with her. It was about a wealthy couple who solved crimes together when they weren't being fabulous together."

"Hmm. Sounds exactly like us, except less fabulous."

"I wonder if there is a way for us to do that? We are pretty well-connected at this point, and we have solved some problems. Maybe we put out a shingle?"

"Put out a shingle?"

"Yes. A shingle."

"I think it's 'hang out' a shingle."

"See why we work so well together?"

"Yes. And I'm sorry to tell you that this doesn't seem like a viable business plan."

"Hmmph. What about if I bought a shingle?"

"That would definitely make it not one bit more viable."

"OK, so what do you think the problem is?"

"First of all, I don't know of any couple that solves crimes in real life."

"That's true, but maybe they are out there but they just aren't show-offs."

"Well, there's a bigger sticking point. If we are going to work together, clearly there is one thing we are missing: a team name, like _Hart to Hart_ or _McMillan & Wife_."

"So we'll think of one."

"I'm sorry Dani, but we need to have a team name first."

"First? Really?"

"Really."

"OK, well how about Careles & Santino?"

"I don't like ampersands. I think they are insincere."

"OK, how about Careles Santino?"

"Do you really want to give Ray's last name all the credit?"

"Well, I've got some professional reputation as Dani Santino, so I don't see a choice. But yeah, it would irritate me to see him get any sort of recognition for our wildly successful crime-fighting business."

"How about Careles and Associate?"

"How about Careles and Woman He Used to Date Before He Became an Egomaniac?"

"How about Careles and Wife?"

"I'm not going to marry you so we have a good business name."

"Well, I have to say I'm disappointed that you say that. You clearly don't have the cutthroat nature that is necessary in today's crime-solving business world."

"Hmmph. We'll see about that."

"I hope so."


	2. Chapter 2

Nico noticed that Dani seemed very energized when she left her last client session. She was preoccupied, and her brow seemed to be permanently knit, but she wasn't stressed so much as she was clearly trying to work through a problem.

He said, "Dani, is there anything wrong?"

She sighed, "Well, I have a problem. Would you mind being a sounding board for me?"

He said, "Of course. There is nothing I'd like more." He hadn't anticipated having another opportunity for them to put their heads together, so he was happy to do this, even if it was just for a moment.

She hugged him, "Thanks." Then she snapped into Professional Dani mode, which he found kind of alluring.

"I've seen my new client for a few sessions. She's a figure skater, and she's been increasingly anxious and depressed for the last few months."

"How old is she?"

"Late teens. She has had a few disappointing performances in the past few competitions, and she's at risk of not making the Olympic team."

"Was she supposed to?"

"I'm not sure, but I think she was one of the top three skaters in the country. I did a little background research on her and her poor performance has been covered a lot in the sports pages."

"I guess I'm lucky that I don't read the sports pages then, because it seems like you are a little close to violating confidentiality?" He paused, knowing that this was a terrible thing to suggest to Dani, who prided herself on her professionalism.

To his surprise, she said, "No, don't worry. A few months ago I started asking clients to sign a form that gives me permission to share details of the case with select others. She did."

He nodded, but seemed to be holding back additional questions.

"I finally decided to perform hypnotherapy on her to see what issues might have precipitated this professional breakdown."

She paused. "It came out that she has been feeling like everything around her isn't real, that it's a lie in some way. At first I thought this might be a delusion or paranoia, but the more we talked, the more I became convinced that she's right."

She looked at him. "Nico, she thinks that her parents aren't her real parents."

He said, "Has she spoken to them?"

"Yes, and they told her she wasn't adopted; that she was their biological child."

"So what's next?"

"I'm not sure, Nico. The problem is, I think she's right, but if her parents are keeping secrets from her, there's not much I can do. I can't _interrogate_ them."

She sighed. "I'm going to do some more hypnotherapy sessions with her, to try to see if I can get any concrete details from her. But after that, I'm out of treatment options."

"Has she considered hiring a private investigator?"

"She has, but she said the ones she contacted 'lacked finesse' and weren't really trustworthy."

"_Lacked finesse_?"

She raised an eyebrow and smiled wryly. "Considering the idiot that Ray had following me when we were divorcing, I think that it sounds like an apt description." She looked at him earnestly. "Nico, this girl is very fragile right now. She's in the public eye and I think she's at a point of crisis. I can't encourage her to bring in other people to the mix. She hasn't even told her manager."

She sighed again. "I'm really worried about her."

Nico said, "You know, I could try to look into a few things if you want."

She looked at him, delighted. "Could you? That would be awesome."

He stared at her intently. "How is she going to be comfortable with me working on this, if she doesn't want to add anyone else to the team, though? Actually, how are you able to tell me about this?"

She looked embarrassed. "Well, when I had my lawyers draw up the new confidentiality waivers, I mentioned that I work with a professional security expert."

"Oh."

"You know, just in case you ever wanted to work with me on a case."

He tilted his head mock-skeptically at that. "Just in case, huh?"

"Yes."

He moved closer to her on the couch and swept her into a hug. "Dani, you are adorable, but sometimes you are just so transparent."

"What do you mean?" She looked concerned.

"'Lacked finesse?' That was like waving a red flag."

"Those were her exact words, Nico!"

"So you're saying that you weren't hoping from the outset that I'd work with you on this?"

She was silent for a moment. "Well, of course I always welcome the opportunity to confer with an expert like you."

He didn't respond.

She threw up her hands. "OK, you got me. I want your help on this, Mr. Careles."

He smiled at her. _It will be fun to help her this one time, he thought._

She smiled back. _The first case for Santino Careles, she thought. Or was it Santino and Associate?_


End file.
